No Child Left Behind and Elementary and Secondary Education Act

The Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA) was first passed by Congress as part of President Lyndon B. Johnson’s War on Poverty. The most recent reauthorization amending ESEA is the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB). This legislation aims to close the achievement gap between groups of students through greater accountability and increased flexibility and choice. NCLB affects almost every school district and charter school in the state.

The Division of Federal and State Education Policy - ESEA Unit at the Texas Education Agency (TEA) is responsible for the state-level administration of specific programs under NCLB and the Ed-Flex Partnership program.

TEA Waiver Request

The Texas Education Agency has received approval from the U. S. Department of Education (USDE) to waive specific provisions of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, as amended by the NCLB. The waiver gives TEA and more than 1,200 local education agencies (LEAs) additional flexibility while reducing duplication of efforts.